This page is in memory of my babies,
and in memory of my ancestors. I am a Southern Cloth Dancer, and on
September 20, 1997, on Melissa's 6th birthday, I began my journey as a
buckskin dancer. Many things have happened in life. Dancing has brought
all of these together.

When I stepped in the dance circle I found my way home. Recently many
things started to come together for me. The circle is coming together.
As time goes by it will grow in leaps and bounds.........

More to
come Aho

My heart is so fullFull of love and yet full of
painful memoriesHeal me GrandfatherFrom the pains of the
past.Help me to help and guide othersAs they in turn guide and
help me.For we all are teacher and student......student and
teacher.Pain is a skillful teacher Let the pain be a stumbling
block I overcome as an example to others .They too can overcome.

To Climb over the many hills and through the valleys of
despairTo see another rising sun.To value the beauty of each
rising and setting sun.The beauty of spring in full bloom.All the
seasonsGrandmother has allowed us to all see and to be a part
of.Each is a gift.

DancingLeaves11/15/96

Restless Spirit Wandering

My restless spirit wanders in the
darkness of nite; and the lightness of day. Grandfather, I know
you walk with me. I am never alone. My moccasin leave many marks
here on Mother Earth. Two sets Then one. You carry me when I
am weak and I can no longer walk. Grandfather hear the cries from
this weak one. Forgive my weakness. Make me strong.

Dancing Leaves1/31/99

Spirits awaken at the dusk of dayDancing into the
long hours of the niteMany creatures come out at niteThose of this
worldThose of the Spirit worldall in oneone in allSpirits
quietly fade at the break of day As man awakens once again.Sun
slowly rises as a gift from the East.Beckoning of a new day.

Dancing LeavesNovember 1999

OPEN LETTER TO MY CHILDREN

I hear the call of the wildI am a nature's childI'm neither
meek nor mildMother Earth is Speaking to you and I.

"Time to listen my child"

I need the strong of spirit with an open heart.It has begun,the
time to start.

Build a lodge upon my land.One that is strong like the mighty oak
in the wind.

Force the lodge door to the East.

Upon my land this will be a mighty feast to fill the strong and
weak of heart and spirit.

All are equal in my eyes.

A time for all our hearts and spirits to riseto the land of long
ago with our ancestors of young and old.

Do the things that I do askfor this is your given task.We will
reunite upon a golden crestwith the Spirits of the East,South,North
and West.

Many more tasks are to come.

Be ready my child for only I knowwhich one is your final
test..........AHO

Oh! How we would have listened if only we could have gotten you to
talk,but years of fear with lots of tears prevented you from
talking.

You had been taught so well not to talk.So others would not hurt
us.So many others looked down on us and to this day still do.They
laugh when we say we are Native Americans.What they forget is that we
were here before they were.Only we had been taught to hide.

No longer will we hide.We will no longer be silent.

Grandmother, please guide us in our efforts to reunite our
people.Show us the way.We've been lost so long.It is time that
we no longer hide, hold up our heads and be proud of who we
are

written by Tammy Bailes (aka Dancing Leaves)August
28,1995

Tears of My People

Tears roll down my facelike a river of blood.You have taken the
land that we love.

How much do you think we can take?We live in a land of plastic and
fake.

Hollywood Indians are not who we are.

We are made of blood, sweat and tears.We are people that the white
man fears.